No-Party is Iowa’s largest political party

January 9, 2020

Data released from the Iowa Secretary of State's office shows the number of Iowa Democrats and Republicans has stayed about the same. However, the number of Iowans registered to vote but who identify as "no party" or independent voters has grown by about 13,000 in the past 12 months as fewer voters register as Republicans or Democrats.

Secretary of State Paul Pate said the data reflects a surge of voter registrations for the 2018 general election.

If the hundreds of paid staff and volunteers for Democratic presidential candidates who have been contacting Iowans this year are identifying new voters, it's not reflected in the voter rolls as of January 2,2020.

However, if hundreds if not thousands of new, first-time voters as well as no party voters who decide to register on-site who up at the Iowa Caucus sites across the state Feb. 3, there will be long lines at the check-in tables, Pate said. This year, caucus goers can check in online, which should cut down on long lines. Participants must be in line at the caucus site by 7 p.m. the evening of Monday, Feb. 3 in order to enter the site.